Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Holiday Plan by Debut author Emma Lynden!!
First, here’s a little bit about this new author:
Growing up, you could always spot Emma Lynden with her nose in a book, drawn towards uplifting fiction full of hope and heart, and frequently imagining stories of her own. It was then that her dream of becoming a writer first took root.
But it wasn’t until years later, when a close friend chanced to remark, “I bet you could write a really nice romance,” that those long-tucked-away dreams finally found the direction they’d been destined for.
Our friends know us best, don’t they?
After a stretch of late nights, a whole lot of scribbling, and the spark of a holiday surprise, she penned “The End” on her debut novel… and so this adventure began. When she’s not clicking away at her keyboard spinning heartwarming stories about family, friendship, and finding true love, you can usually catch Emma soaking up the sunshine (or snowfalls) outdoors, capturing the beauty of everyday life behind her camera lens, or cozily curled up with her first passion—reading—a hot mug of something sweet in one hand and the promise of a happily-ever-after in the other.
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And for those who like to check out Book Blurbs – I’ve got one of those to share too:
From one of the freshest new voices in clean and wholesome romantic fiction, The Holiday Plan is the perfect escape for fans of Courtney Walsh, Annie Rains, and Debbie Mason.
Native New Yorker and author Verona Scott is battling heartbreak, both personally and professionally. Coming off a disastrous split with her ex, she’s struggling for inspiration to write her next book. And she’s lost without her favorite Aunt Theoni’s wisdom and guidance.
Hoping for a fresh start and to avoid the holiday completely, she’s planned a Valentine’s detox: a luxurious trip alone to the historic Courtington Castle hotel, near the adorably quaint town of Camelot Creek, tucked into a picturesque valley in the Adirondacks.
But escaping the heart-shaped balloons and red roses isn’t as easy as she thought.
This won’t be the restful retreat she’d imagined. Instead, she’s just walked into one of the biggest matchmaking events of the year. Not to mention, the incredibly attractive single dad and dating coach Troy Turner is heading the whole thing up, and he’s on a mission to include Verona in the festivities.
Troy is in the midst of a professional crisis of his own. After a bit of unfounded bad press, the very last thing he needs is a guest to cast doubt in the minds of his attendees.
Will Troy change Verona’s mind about the most romantic day of the year? Just when sparks begin to fly, an unexpected visitor checks into the castle, stirring up the past. No matter what, for Verona, Valentine’s Day is the day where everything changes.
A heartwarming, sweet romance that will whisk you away to a magical winter wonderland and have you reaching for the hot cocoa and box of chocolates long after the holidays.
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My Review:
I loved this beautiful story! The reality of the plot, the reactions of the characters and the sweet romance came together to build a story that didn’t seem at all like a debut book. Verona was a character most people can relate to in some way. She’d been hurt by several very important people in her life and lost one of her biggest cheerleaders for her career, her Aunt Theoni, and was just feeling a bit lost in life. Plus, her writing career has taken a tough hit with her latest manuscript being passed over by her publisher. A cross-roads was before her and she made a good choice – getting away from the norm and seeking new inspiration. She found way more than she expected and right in the middle of her least favorite holiday ever: Valentine’s Day. Who would have thought that her most dreaded holiday would bring her the inspiration she needed so badly and a chance at true romance too? Emma wrote Verona with so many good and legitimate emotions nearly everyone would feel given these situations. I was pleased to see that she gave Verona space to not only feel everything but work through it all and find the peace and forgiveness she needed. And Troy was a great “hero” for the story. His approach to helping others find love was so wonderful and I definitely enjoyed hearing some of his conference speeches. The way he was described made me think of Dan Stevens or Chris Pine and imagining Troy looking like either of them certainly made the story even better, haha! The intentional daily interactions that he had with his daughter while also giving good attention to his work were more points in his favor and made him much more realistic to me. But it was Verona and Troy together that made this book so good. Their quietly growing romance from beginning to end was just right, with no outlandish plot devices or kitschy one-liners. They were honest with each other and communicated well, which is not a regular occurrence in most romance books. And the kisses they shared were sweet and swoony too! I did get a bit put out with Verona towards the end when she didn’t talk to Troy about the newspaper article. Everyone knows that what’s printed in the news is false nine times out of ten so why didn’t she just ask him about it? They had been very open and honest thus far, why would he have just thrown that all away? But, I digress. This book will remind readers to keep their hearts open to love because you never know where it might come from next. This is a lesson we all could take to heart and remember on the toughest days.
Emma is certainly an author that is going on my “to read” list for the future. I am very much looking forward to what she will release next; perhaps it will feature Verona’s friend Luz? Be sure to grab your own copy of this story for your own bookshelves. I definitely will and will also be highly recommending this story to others who love sweet romance too.
I received this complimentary E-book from Emma via BookFunnel. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review but am most pleased to do so. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
Direct link for you to purchase your own copy:
Don’t miss the other stops on the blog if you’re interested in seeing more about what people are saying about it:
Tell Me A Great Story 